Today's Top Tune

NYC-based artist duendita’s new project, a strong desire to survive, is out today. It’s ten tracks birthed and inspired by travels to Berlin and the music scene they fell into there. Today we share “baby teeth,” a song duendita says “celebrates the joy of healing from the darkest experiences. It's a piano/vocal banger about feeling safe and strong." At the end of "baby teeth," there’s  a sample of nine vocalists, singing in harmony as a choir… all recorded in duendita's bedroom: "It was so special." 

Grammy-winning producer Leon Michels, best known as El Michels Affair, treats us to an instant classic, “Kodak.” The song is a picture perfect masterclass in space and arrangement — mellow and fluid, with a slow drum beat floating amidst the gauzy instrumentation. It’s guaranteed to put you in a dreamy, creative mood. 

Funny how a song named “Draggin’” can really lift you up. This works because of singer-songwriter Hannah Cohen’s magical way of blending disparate ideas. The song is off her newly minted album Earthstar Mountain, and was produced by her partner and collaborator Sam Evian. The album draws from the pair’s combined wide palette of musical taste which includes Dusty Springfield, Gal Costa, Minnie Ripperton, and Sly & The Family Stone. 

Brooklyn-based musician Kendra Morris explores chaos and catharsis, what she describes as an overlap of her messy little Brooklyn apartment and the clutter that accumulates in her head. The melody and rhythm for “In My House” came both from Morris tooling around on her Casio and from her speaking tongue twisters while walking her neighborhood. 

We were excited to meet up with Jacob Alon, a seemingly otherworldy Scottish folk artist, while at SXSW this year. Like Nick Drake, Alon showcases a light touch on his acoustic fretboard and skims across it with intricate fingerpicking and bittersweet lyrics. Bleak and beautiful, “Fairy In A Bottle” comes from his debut album In Limerence and opens an early chapter on what we expect will be a long and beautiful musical journey. 

Raised in Havana, Cuban singer Rita Donte was weaned on her grandmother's record collection where she became drawn to the music. From there she traveled to Mexico City to absorb the rich music scene, before ultimately landing in Baja California Sur. Donte’s personal journey informs her new album Ritual — connecting her love of Mexican jaranas, Cuban tres, and some contemporary influences. It’s time to move to the rhythm of “Zunzun Baba.” 

Pioneering  electronic music producer Mark Pritchard teams with Radiohead/The Smile frontman Thom Yorke to share the full collaborative album  Tall Tales (out in May).  The LP unites everything you love about both luminaries: rich aural textures, multi-layered electronics, and thrilling genre-fluidity across a dozen tracks. So let’s start with “This Conversation Is Missing Your Voice.” 

TV On The Radio frontman Tunde Adebimpe steps into his own spotlight on his debut solo album Thee Black Boltz — out April 18. Capturing the vulnerability of the loss of love, Adebimpe massages the heart with incisive lyrics and his signature electro rock ‘n’ soul sound on “God Knows.” 

She’s back! Cool and classy Lady Wray shares “Best For Us,” a song about love and commitment produced by the endlessly seductive Grammy-winner Leon Michels. The pair are currently in the studio cooking up what will become Lady Wray’s third album… with “Best For Us” as an excellent sign of what’s to come. 

The music of Brixton-based Black Country, New Road makes us feel like we’re “Besties.” Their imaginative mix of sounds comes from classically trained as well as self-taught bandmates,  and their new album Forever Howlong (due April 4) promises a heady palette that blends everything from folk, to prog, to baroque pop, to points beyond. It’s also their first release to feature lead vocals by Georgia Ellery.